One Informational Systems report indicates that Automated testing recognizes 70 to 80 percent of bugs discovered during the testing phase, implying that human testers are more adept at identifying problems which is more cost-effective and efficient.
Not unlike other forms of testing, manual testing still exists; however, with increasing complexity in applications, something more sophisticated is needed. This is where automated testing frameworks kick in.
These frameworks help you to design, execute and control tests in a more streamlined manner, guaranteeing excellence in software delivery. In this article we will discuss the six types of test automation frameworks.
What is a Test Automation Framework?
A test automation framework is a collection of guidelines, tools, and recommendations which assists in the automation of testing a software application.
It enables streamlined processes for developing, maintaining, and executing automated tests. Consequently, tests can be written in a uniform and reusable way, test scripts can be maintained more easily, and test reports generated more efficiently. A framework is like a schematic diagram that aids developers and testers in automating the testing processes that require automation.
Importance of Testing Automation:
In today’s fast-paced world of software development, testing automation is particularly important. Here is why:
Increased Efficiency and Speed:
Think about the scenario where every feature of a software application needs to be tested manually after each change is made. That would take an unreasonable amount of time and effort. Automated testing improves this process exponentially.
Tests can be conducted rapidly and multiple times so that quick feedback can be given on whether everything is working as anticipated. This level of efficiency becomes even more critical when changes and releases happen regularly.
Improved Accuracy and Coverage:
The human element involved in manual testing can lead to mistakes, and testers may miss critical steps.
Self operating checks have a distinct advantage over manual procedures; computers follow explicit steps every single time. They achieve uniformity and precision, capturing most of the boundaries and test cases, along with some hard-to-reach ones.
Automated testing often catches gaps that would otherwise lead to problems in the completed application.
This reduces the possibility of undiscovered bugs which may be problematic later on.
Cost Saving:
While implementing automated testing does necessitate a preliminary expenditure of time and resources, the return on investment is often beneficial in the long term.
An automated test helps streamline the process of manual testing, which is often time consuming and expensive.
Preventing financial losses associated with issues such as bug fixes, sudden repairs, and customer support escalation saves organizations a great deal if such issues are identified earlier in the development cycle.
Continuous Integration and Delivery Support:
Automated testing fits neatly into the processes of Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD). These procedures focus on swift code modification followed by quick deployment.
Executing tests as part of these pipelines guarantees that all new code is tested prior to deployment. Additionally, employing this method eliminates integration problems and improves the overall stability and dependability of the software during the entire software development lifecycle.
Framework 2: Modular-Based Testing Framework
The Modular Based Testing Framework simplifies test scenario automation by subdividing highly intricate test cases into smaller modules. Each module is designed to test a specific function or component of the application in isolation.
This method improves the test scripts’ reusability, flexibility, and ease of upkeep, enabling teams to efficiently manage tests across various modules.
Test scripts are simplified by dividing them into independent modules, enhancing maintenance and reusability.
The framework maintains its effectiveness despite the increase in the size of the test suite or complexity of the application.
Modules can be integrated in multiple ways to create unique test scenarios.
Advantage: Enhances parallel testing capabilities, reduces redundancy in test scripts, and promotes reusability of code.
Disadvantage: Needs some sort of initial planning and work to determine the interactions and dependencies between the modules.
Best suited for modular architecture applications, like enterprise systems, where user management, payment processing, and reporting modules have to be tested across various functional areas.
Framework 3: Library Architecture Testing Framework
The Library Architecture Testing Framework focuses on the design and implementation of libraries consisting of testable components that can be reused with minimal alterations. It encourages modularization and component reuse for efficiency in their testing processes.
A tester or developer can construct a comprehensive library that contains a collection of reusable functions and methods…
Managed test functions and methods are grouped into libraries so that they can be reused efficiently in multiple tests.
It allows independent test components that can be easily assembled into elaborate test scenarios.
Changes to the functionality of tests can be made once for all tests that contain the derived shared libraries.
Advantage: Consistency in tests is maintained, redundancy in test script authoring is mitigated, and test creation speed is improved.
Disadvantage: Effective use of the libraries requires prior planning and coordination for initial setup and ongoing management of the libraries.
This framework is applicable for projects where certain components need to be standardized and shared across different applications or modules like in API, regression, and integration testing.
Framework 4: Data-Driven Framework
By isolating the test scripts from the related test data, the Data-Driven Framework improves test automation. As a result, non-programming testers no longer face limitations regarding hardware or software platforms since they can execute tests with various input data sets stored in external files like spreadsheets or databases.
Because of the decoupling of data from the test logic, this method enhances test coverage, encourages reusing tests, and decreases overall maintenance work.
This framework employs data files such as spreadsheets and CSVs as sources for driving specific test scenarios.
It enables modification of test scripts to enable execution with different data input files.
It enhances the system’s maintainability and scalability by decoupling the test logic from the test data.
Advantages: Improved test coverage through execution of tests across different data sets, improves reusability of test scripts, and reduces maintenance efforts.
Disadvantages: Higher requirements for managing the test data sources, increased complexity for initial setup, and tighter control over data source management.
Best suited for applications with multiple input scenarios, such as validation of forms, search and user registration functionalities.
Framework 5: Keyword-Driven Framework
By abstracting implementation details from test scripts, the Keyword-Driven Framework enhances test automation. It uses a set of keywords or action words to represent predefined test steps, corresponding data, and other relevant details.
This method allows efficiency regardless of the technical skill by redirecting focus towards business logic and away from programming.
It abstracts the technical details out by keeping a repository of keywords representing actions or operations to be performed.
Non-technical stakeholders can understand the action steps with ease because the test cases are organized in the form of keywords which provide structure.
Non-technical stakeholders can understand the action steps with ease because the test cases are organized in the form of keywords which provide structure.
Testers are able to advanced complex test scenarios through simple combinations of simple keywords.
Cross-case and cross-project keyword reuse is encouraged which adds to overall productivity.
Advantage: Broadens the pool of contributors to the automation process beyond programmers
Disadvantage: Understanding and crafting the keyword library is an upfront investment.
In agile environments, the Keyword-Driven Framework is best suited for static-defining projects where frequent testing iterative modifications are the main activities. The framework does well in scenarios that require specialized workflows and complex logic business testing where the tests have to be flexible and changeable to requirements.
Also see: How to do agile testing?
Framework 6: Hybrid Testing Framework
The Hybrid Testing Framework combines data-driven, modular, and many other modalities into its testing methods, thus merging the pros of multiple testing approaches. This strategy attempts to take the benefits of each methodology while reducing its drawbacks, resulting in adaptability and complete handling in test automation.
This framework enables test construction at various hierarchical levels with associated building blocks.
It gathers keyword-driven, data-driven, and other strategies to meet testing requirements.
It helps scale efficiently to accommodate large and intricate test suites.
The framework allows free formulation and execution of scenarios and their corresponding tests.
Advantage: Includes extensive ranges of application functions and test scenarios.
Disadvantage: Increases the difficulty of setup and maintenance of the framework due to multidimensional method strategies.
The Hybrid Testing Framework is useful for testing tasks with particular heterogenous requirements such as complex enterprise application workflows, input-varied APIs, and integrated multi-module systems.
Best Practices for Using Testing Automation Frameworks
You can follow certain approaches to leverage the benefits of testing automation frameworks while ensuring high software quality:
Choosing the Right Framework for Your Needs
Choosing the right testing automation framework is very important.
You have to take into account such things like the relevance of its ease of use, the degree to which it fits into your technology stack, support for various testing types (UI, API, etc.) as well as its scalability to accommodate growth of your project.
A piece of software that fulfills your team’s skill set and project dictates will optimize your testing procedures by automating them.
Keeping Tests Maintainable:
The importance of test case writing is directly proportional to their upkeep. Ensure test scripts are written in a clear and modular format that enhances readability and ease of maintenance.
Implement coding and documentation style guides that are conducive to straightforward maintenance and troubleshooting.
Tests should be continuously modified and streamlined to align with changes within the application and the dynamically shifting testing prerequisites.
Refer also: Managing Test Cases in QA Touch
Integrating with CI/CD Pipelines:
Incorporating test automation in CI/CD pipelines enables continuous testing and delivery. Execution of tests can be incorporated into both the build and deployment phases of the pipeline.
The integration helps in the early detection of defects, thereby decreasing the effort and expense of remedying problems discovered at later stages. This, in turn, enables quicker release of high-quality software to production.
Leveraging Available Community Resources for Your Framework:
Utilize forums, user groups, and webinars related to your framework to network and share knowledge along with troubleshooting various issues and discovering best practices.
Vendors and framework vendors offer troubleshooting and user support specialized to mitigate high-level relevant issues along with providing important updates that improve the framework’s capabilities.
Regularly Updating and Reviewing Test Cases:
Reviewing and modifying your application’s workflows along with ensuring they map to user workflows is a necessary step in test case maintenance. It is important to verify that test coverage maps to current features and detect shifts in requirements.
Test scenarios and supporting materials are meant for specific stakeholders focused on distinct objectives, which makes them powerful for tier two verification testing. Ensuring test cases are updated enables reliability through the development lifecycle, improving over the course of the full development lifecycle.
Conclusion:
The suite enables an organization to incorporate quality assurance seamlessly throughout the entire development process. It integrates with other tools focused on coding, unit testing, continuous integration, and frameworks to build elaborate systems. These systems enable easy management, and versatility applies to detailed checking automation frameworks. Enhanced checking focuses on breaks, not without enabling the organization to make great cuts to time, cost, quality, and remove manual testing.
QA Touch stands out as an exemplary test management platform since every stage of testing is consolidated into a single workspace to allow simple planning, creation, organization into suites, execution in different environments, as well as report generation.
